The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned what it called unprovoked attack and killing of innocent worshippers at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo, Ondo State, calling on the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly criminality.
A statement signed by the media assistant to the CAN president, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja on Saturday, described the attack as sad, wrong, condemnable, outrageous, unacceptable and satanic.
The association said there was no explanation for the unprovoked attack and assault on a place of worship.
“This is raw persecution. These people are possessed, demonic and are not working for the good of the country. May God descend heavily on them and fight them mindless agents of Satan from their roots in Jesus’ name.
“We are once again reiterating our quest for a total overhauling of the security architecture and are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the recycling of those criminals and terrorists in the name of de-radicalising programme.
“If the programme is not counterproductive, how come the criminalities are always on the increase and nowhere is safe again.
“This menace of insecurity has gotten out of hands and is embarrassingly sore. Criminals are operating with impunity all over the country and unfortunately, our government appears to be so busy with the 2023 general election that it has no time for the unending killings in the country,” he said.
The Association wondered that what legacy is the government and managers of the nation’s security architecture would be leaving behind for the unborn generation.
It prayed that the government and the security agencies get it right before it will be too late.
The Association said if the federal government is not interested in the State Police, what efforts are being put in place to arrest the unpleasant situation.
CAN, however, called on the State Governors to meet with the President to find a lasting solution to the killings.
“Issuing mere press statements of condemnations and what looks like empty threat is apparently not a way out of it.
“CAN commiserates with all the bereaved, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and the Ondo State Government,” CAN added.